Bracket clamp



Jun 21, 1932.

c. E. WOLFE I BRACKET CLAMP Fi led Dec. 15, 19:50

INVENTOR. CLFFOQD 5 way-2'.

HA5 ATTORNEY V w U a Patented June 21, 1932 IT D STATES area CLIFFORD E. WOLFE, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO FRAN CIS J. CLAPHAM, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA BRACKET CLAMP Application. filed December 15, 1930. Serial No." 502,451.

support for a body mounted adjacent the eX-,

teriorsurface of the furring.

Another object of my invention is the provision of adjustable means'on the clamp for that the adjacent furring will not be crushed.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means within the clamp for attaching braces that will hold the radiator in position permanently.

A still further object of myinvention is the provision of a clamp that is held together by only one bolt. v

The invention possesses numerous other obj ects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit my self to this disclosure of species of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure, 1 is a vertical section through a furred wall showing the manner in which the 35 device of my invention may be used to support a radiator.

Figure 2 and, Figure 3 are longitudinal views of the inside faces of the clamp halves.

Figure 4 is a plan view looking down on top of the clamp showing the manner in whichthe two halves and the adjustable collars fit together. 7

' Figure 5 is a longitudinal view of the clamp looking in the direction of arrow 5 of Fig- 4; ure 4. a

accurately positioning the external body so In terms of broad inclusion the clamp of my invention comprises a pair of matched jaws which are adapted to engage a plurality of bars that are mutually perpendicular to oneanother, or that lie in difierent non-parallel planes in a manner commonly defined as skewed. Such clamps may be used for a variety of purposes but will be described in conjunction with a bracket support for mounting radiators on furred walls where the plaster, or similar sheathing, is supported by a suitable frame work at a distance from the wall. ordinarily, to support a radiator, and it is necessary to provide additional support from a stronger base. It has been the practice in the past to fix four or more studs or bolts in the masonry or concrete base wall and then afiix the external radiator hanger proper to the bolts by suitable threaded collars, or nuts, but there are several defects to such methods. In the first place the bolts cannot be placed accurately and it is-usually necessary to bend one or more of them to obtain proper align ment and spacing. This bending combined with the other rough handling incident to the construction activities usually results in the threads on the bolts becoming so battered that their function is seriously impaired. if not destroyed. The plaster and concrete that fall on the threads are also detrimental to their use. e I

A second major difficulty under past methodsoccurs in the matter'of length adjustment before the furring is installed. If a bolt is too long it can be cut off, of course, but that is a slow and impractical process under modern competitive conditions; and, if a bolt is too short the only practical remedies, splicing or replacement, are difficult and expensive.

A third major difiiculty occurs in thematter of accurately positioning the radiator after the furring is installed and the radiator is being hung in place. The plaster is usually not applied with great accuracy and if it does Such furring is not strong enough,

7 not come out to the hanger a-space is left hetween the hanger and the wall and an ugly job results. Or, if the plaster projects beyond the hanger supports, it may be pressed in and broken when the hanger is screwed embodiment of my invention comprises aclamp,indic ated in Figure'l' by the general reference numeral 6, which is adapted to engage a bolt, or stud 7 fixed in a wall 8. The clamp is preferably given additional vertical support by a leg 9 which has its upper. end

held in the clamp and its lower end resting on afloor 1 1 or other suitable support.v Astwo or more clamps'areusually employed for each radiator it is also'desirable to provide transverse bracing as by a channel 12 which interconnects adjacent clamps, and restrains them in position, particularly during the installation ofthe furring. I I

The clamp is fixed onto the stud 7 through the medium of a bolt 13-so that the faces of the bosses Hand 16 will be in the plane of the'exterior surface of the furring. An example of furring is shown inv Figure 1 as comprising. a metal screen 17 and a layer of plaster ,18. The brackets and framework 7 that support the furring are omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity.

The particular construction of the radiator hanger externaltothe furring forms no part of this invention as any suitable construction may be used in conjunction with the clamping device, but to illustrate the principle I have shown a hanger comprising a plate 19having a hook 21 fixed on its lower end. to support-a radiator 22. The radiator is further supported by a suitable bolt. 23 engaging the radiator and the upper end of plate 19. V The various adjustable features ordinarily employed in such hangers are omitted from the drawing to avoid unnecessary complexity.

The plate 19 is then attached to the clamp by suitable means such as a screw'24 threaded into a lead sleeve 26 inserted in the boss. 16 and a screw 27 threaded into the boss 14. In order to prevent the plate. 19: from bear ing against the plaster the collars 28 are provided about the bosses 14: and 16 to transmit the pressure from the plate to the clamp. The construction of these collars is best shown in Figures 2 and 4, Where it can be seen that two helical surfaces 29 and 31 on the collars engage two similar helical surfaces 32, and 33 on the clamp about the bosses. V

The exterior end surface of a collar may then be moved in or out by rotating the collar about the boss. It is found that, by having the collars fit the bosses fairly tight, and by leaving the engaging surfaces unfinished, there is ordinarily suflicient friction between the collar and the clamp to restrain them in adjusted position, but if this friction is not enough to hold them, it is a I simple matter to wedge in a piece of steel between a shoulder 34 on the collars, and a V .prises two matchedjaws 37 and 38 embodying suitable seats for the co-operating members with which it is engaged, and adapted to be held together, when installed, by a sin-- gle bolt. i 1

A seat 39 is provided for thestud 7 by forming a threaded or roughenedv-semi-cir cular groove 41 inv aw37. and a smooth semicircular groove 42 in jaw 38. The groove 41 engages even battered threads. quite securely, andthe smooth groove 42. permits the jaw 38, to move relative to the lug 7 while the clamp is being set, for reasons to. beset forth below. Suitable lugs 43,. at; and 46'are provided on the jaw 37. to fit between the; flanges 47 of thecha'nnel forming the leg 9; andjsuitable shoulders 18 are provided on jaw 38 to engage the outside web of thechannel 9.

The transverse brace 12.is inserted in the notches 49 and 51 in the jaws 37 and 38 respectively. It is obvious that the stud 7 and leg 9 are tightly engaged by the clamp when the jaws are pulled together by the bolt 13 inserted in the aligned holes 52 and 5.3, but

special provision must be made to cause the clampito hold the brace 12. In the embodiment disclosed, I accomplish this result through the transverse movement imparted to the jaw 38 by the inclined lugs 54 and. 56 sliding on the inclined surfaces 57 and 58 as the jaws are drawn together by the bolt. This causes the face 59 forming one side of notch 51 to press the brace 12 tightly against the face 61 forming one side of notch 49 and thus clamp the brace 12. in place.

It isv to be noted that the bosses 1 1 and 16 are both formed integrally with the jaw 37 so that the movement of jaw 38 will not disturb the original placing of jaw 37 relative to the wall. It is preferable that the bosses fall in the same plane as stud 7. and they are so mounted on the jaw, suitable grooves 62 a being formed in jaw 38 to receive them. To further. reinforce jaw 38 against vertical defiections a shoulder 63 is formed its. inner face to engage a shoulder 64; provided on jaw 37 It is thus seen that the clamp co-acting' with the other elements is locked into a unitary structure by the action of the single bolt 13.

In use, the studs 7 are installed in the wall, preferably when it is constructed, at the proper points. The clamps 6 with the cooperating legs and braces, if used, are next installed so that the faces of the bosses 14 and 16 lie slightly inside a plane that is to be the exterior surface of the furring, which obviates all of the diificulties previously encountered in adjusting the positions ofthe studs, and also difiiculties due to battered threads. The furring is then installed, leaving suitable apertures about the bosses 14 and 16. The collars 28 are then placed on the bosses and adjusted as to position, and the external body hung in place.

By using this device of my invention radiators can be installed on furred walls at a fraction of the expense formerly incurred. The saving may amount to as much as three to five dollars for each radiator for labor alone,

which will amount to a total saving of several thousand dollars on a large hotel or ofiice building. And, if the studs have been inaccurately placed in the base wall, as is fre quently the case, the use of this clamp of my invention will save many thousands of dollars by preventing the crushing of the furring 7 that would otherwise occur.

I claim:

1. A clamp comprising a pair of matched jaws in which a plurality of skewed bars may be seated, inclined guides on the jaws to cause relative displacement as they are drawn together, and means for drawing the jaws together to lock them on the bars.

2. A radiator hanger comprising a fixed supporting stud, a leg, a transverse brace,.a pair of matched jaws in which the stud, leg

through the jaws, wedging means on the jaws for locking them upon the stud, leg, and brace whenthe bolt is tightened, a boss on the jaws- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CLIFFORD E. WOLFE.

and brace may be seated, means for securing the jaws together to lock them upon the stud leg and brace, and means disposed on the jaws for suspending the radiator.

8. A radiator hanger comprising a fixed supporting stud, a pair of matched jaws in which the stud may be seated, means for securing the jaws together to lock them upon the stud, a boss on the jaws providing means for suspending the radiator, and a wedge shaped collar about the boss providing means for adjusting the position of the radiator.

4. A radiator hanger comprising a fixed supporting stud, a leg, a transverse brace, a pair of matched aws in which the stud, leg, and brace ma be seated, a bolt passing through the jaws, wedgin g means on the jaws for locking them upon the stud, leg,v and brace when the bolt is tightened, and means disposed on the jaws for suspending the radiator.

5. A radiator hanger comprising a fixed supporting stud, a leg, a transverse brace, a pair of matched jaws in which the stud, leg, and brace may be seated, a bolt passing 

